Category Archives: Food

I love good quality chocolate. There are a lot of history and strange facts to go along with the ingredients like cocoa or cacao and sugar on labels. In the beginning, sugar had nothing to do with chocolate.

1, Cocoa beans come from the fruit ( pod ) of trunks and branches of cocoa trees. They are actually seeds that are dried and fermented. The cocoa tree originated and was domesticated in Amazon forests of south and central America and at the foot of Andes mountains at least 3500 years ago.

2, Dried and Fermented seeds are ground into paste. It was consumed as a beverage by the Aztec sand Mayans who believed in its medicinal properties. The ancient people flavored the beverage with chili peppers. Cocoa beans were considered more valuable than gold and were used as money in those days.

3, It wasn’t until in the 17th century that cocoa beans reached Europe. In 1828, a Dutch chemist found a way to take the bitterness out of the paste and make it into powder known as Dutch Cocoa.

4, A company called Cadbury in England started making and selling what would resemble modern-day chocolate in 1847.

5, In 1621, a Spanish ship named Nuestra Senora del Rosario del Carmen brought chocolate to North America. In 1700s, chocolate was used as a ration by the military during French and Indian War.

6, Cocoa is the world’s third most traded agricultural product. It takes about 400 cocoa beans to make one pound of chocolate.

7, Every one second, Americans consume 100 pounds of chocolate.

8, It’s well known that chocolate can kill dogs and cats. We humans can die too if we eat too much of it. It takes about 22 pounds of chocolate for us.
9, Chocolate is more effective for suppressing coughs than over-the-counter medication. Hate the taste of nasty cough syrups? Just eat chocolate.

10, Stressed? Smell of chocolate has a relaxing effect. There are a lot of chocolate-scented bath and beauty products on the market.

Change your life with a plant – based whole food diet! Eliminate processed foods from your diet and see an amazing change in the way you look and feel. What is whole food? By definition, food that has been processed or refined as little as possible and is free from additives or other artificial substances.

In today’s society where most people rely on processed and refined foods, it could be confusing as to what really is considered whole food. Simply put, it is food in its most natural state. For an example, an orange is whole food; orange juice is processed. Eating nothing but whole foods might seem expensive and difficult. But it’s as simple as choosing between an orange and orange juice.

It is a misconception that whole foods are expensive. Most people envision fancy whole food grocery stores. On the contrary, processed foods are more expensive than whole foods in general.

What are the benefits of eating a plant – based whole food diet? You will naturally eat more fruits and vegetables. They are rich in vitamins, minerals , phytochemicals and antioxidants that will protect you from many types of cancer, cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes.

By eating more fruits and vegetables, it will help with weight loss. Your fiber intake will increase naturally and you will eat less but still feel full and satisfied. By not eating processed foods, You will eat fewer calories, fat, salt and sugar. You will also eliminate intake of nasty chemicals and additives which can be harmful to your health.

Not only feeling good, eating plant – based whole foods has proven to help you keep looking young!

Whole foods can be not just fruits and vegetables but legumes ( beans ), nuts, seeds and grains. Legumes include black beans, kidney beans, lentils and more. Grains are brown rice, corn, whole oats, corn and more. These are just a few examples of whole foods and you will eat a variety thus increasing your intake of nutrients.